Culture Shock: What I've Been Watching: The Hunger Games (2012)

As a self-confessed fan of all films fantasy (Twilight, Lord of the Rings, Harry Potter, Avatar etc...) I was surprised that I was patient enough to wait to watch The Hunger Games until it came live on Sky Box Office. However, once it was available for purchase this Sunday just gone, I was one of the first to buy the film. I settled down with my blanket and a Galaxy chocolate skinny latte and got ready to be wowed.

*She so pwetty. She's also one of my body idols.*

For me, I think it is really important to watch a film adaptation before you read the book it was adapted from if you can help it, solely because I had always found adaptations to be disappointed with adaptations. At least if you watch the film first then you stand a better chance of enjoying it without the restrictions of comparison running through your brain. So before you ask, no, I haven't read The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins just yet. But it is definitely on my list.

Anyway, back onto the film.

I was so on-the-fence about The Hunger Games at the beginning. Although the film is opened by a captioned blurb in order to set the scene in time, location and context, I found myself lost through the majority of it. Unexplained flashbacks, seemingly significant glances between characters and inhuman brutality throughout just put me in such a weird state of confusion that I struggled at time to concentrate on even the basics of the plot. This continued for the first half hour.

From what I can understand, the film is set in some sort of North American nation in the future (in spite of the archaic experiences which the characters go through such as bathing in a tub of cold water, next-to-no access to technology and hobbies such as hunting with a bow and arrow) where there are twelve different 'districts' surrounding one Capitol. As a punishment to the poor districts for attempting a rebellion years earlier, the Capitol forces each district to select one boy and one girl  between the ages 12 and 18 each year by a random lottery to compete in a brutal version of the Olympics, whereby they must be let go into an 'arena' which is basically like a big huge forest. In order to win, they must kill one another until the final child, or 'tribute', standing wins. The District 12 lottery chooses Primrose Everdeen. However, he older sister Katniss (Jennifer Lawrence) volunteers in her place and becomes a 'tribute' with fellow District 12er Peeta Mellark.

The rest is history really! There is a bit of action, a bit of romance, a few father issues, a LOT of bravery and generally a very Darwin-esque approach.

After watching for a little while, I started to understand the plot slightly better because I just let go of my preconceptions about how unrealistic the whole idea was. I mean, isn't that the whole point of fantasy? To let you invest yourself in a different world, to escape from reality.

The casting was generally brilliant, especially with Jennifer Laurence able to play the most kick-ass babe in the games. Similarly, her little ally Rue (played by Amandla Stenberg) gave me an awesome sense of girl power and how if we are united we can conquer the world! I also really liked Lenny Kravitz in the slightly camp role of 'stylist' Cinna, and Stanley Tucci (perhaps better known from The Devil Wears Prada, Easy A, Burlesque and The Lovely Bones amongst others...) as bitchy broadcast host Caesar Flickerman. The one-to-watch for me in this film is Elizabeth Banks in the role of Effie Trinket who is a control-freak, image-obsessed, optimist. Although some might say the role is slightly over-acted I saw a lot of Wicked's Madame Morrible in her performance and as a Wicked-fanatic I really couldn't complain!

Although they may find the plot a bit too fluffy, I think tech-y film fans might like this one, because the range of shots and sound techniques is really quite impressive, even for those of us who know nothing whatsoever about film.

This is a film which takes a lot of concentration, but is well worth the effort. I even found myself mentally cheering the tributes on and having a bit of a lump in my throat during a couple of different stages throughout. However, I was expecting something I would be a little MORE passionate about, like Avatar where I cried like a baby or Harry Potter where I was literally sat on the edge of my seat, or Twilight where I spent many a night dreaming about my very own forbidden-romance vampire-lover... But The Hunger Games is a good film nonetheless. Even if I do feel like there are bits I missed... maybe I'll have to watch it again.

Have you seen The Hunger Games? Which other films would you compare it with? Do you like watching film adaptations of books?

Love and snuggles
GabriellaSofia
x

Healthy Eating: How to Cook Tuna Steaks...

My family and I have decided to go on a great big healthy eating attempt at the moment which (lucky for me as I absolute LOVE it) includes a lot of fish. As the family food shopper for the past three weeks, I have found it quite easy to eat healthily around the house, because I make sure I am not hungry when I walk into Tesco and I take a specific list with me and don't stray at all. This means that the house is full only of healthy treats, including fruit, nuts, veg, brown rice, rice cakes, cereal bars and so on and so forth.

Anyway, last weekend my Dad (our resident food adventurer) decided that we should try tuna steaks for a change as we enjoy fish but are often left wanting more. More meat, man! So on my hunt through the Tesco shelves I strutted over to the fish counter and handed over £16 (!!!) for four tuna steaks. I can honestly say they were worth every penny.

A picked up some new potatoes and an assortment of salad things to throw on the side of the plate and headed home.

My dad boiled the potatoes and a few eggs, marinaded the tuna in a soy sauce, lime and chilli flakes sauce, wrapped them in foil and baked them for ten minutes in the oven. While that was cooking, he whipped up a salad with rocket leaves, carrots, tomatoes and cucumber and threw the hard-boiled egg pieces over the top with a drizzle of olive oil and balsamic vinegar. When the tuna was ready, he dished up the whole thing and smeared a tiny bit of low-fat Lurpak on the potatoes. 

Here is what the meal looked like...

The meal cost about £5.50 for each of us, but that is cheaper than we would usually spend on a kebab, curry, pizza, Chinese or McDonald's takeaway! The whole thing was absolutely delicious so I have to give proper props to my dad for cooking an exceptionally successful meal. It was like a very posh version of a tuna nicoise salad. NOM GOBBLE.

Have you ever eaten tuna steaks? Do you know of any fishy recipes I should try out? How do you keep yourself in check when trying healthy eating?

Love and snuggles

GabriellaSofia

x

Louise Gray for Topshop Makeup on a Budget...

If you are anything like me at the moment, you'll be saving up your pennies for Christmas already (I like to be WAY prepared so I don't have to scrimp around the festive season...) so although Louise Gray's colour-popping cosmetics collection for Topshop is absolutely beautiful, you'll be hunting for a cheaper alternative.

As a lipstick lover, I made it my goal to track down some dupes for the two Lips in the collection entitled  Mexican Wave (a rich blood-orange-peel colour) and Legend (the hottest of hot pinks in a deep hue). After seeing that they cost a whopping £10 (!!!) each I scribbled with each of them on the back of my hand just so I would have a swatch for colour comparison.

*Mexican Wave is on the bottom, Legend on the top*

The formulas are absolutely heavenly. Usually I find that with glossier more moisturising Lips that the colour pigment suffers, coming out slightly fainter and needing a couple more coatings just to achieve the colour you see in the stick. However, with these they are both true to the colour in the tube and incredibly creamy and soft. An absolute dream. Nonetheless, they are still £10 and I can't really justify spending that much when I am trying oh-so-hard to save. So I put the Lips down and had a quick glance over the rest of the counter before planning to head off in the direction of Boots to find my dupes...

HOWEVER, and here is the real clincher. As I was 'glancing' I spotted the Lip Sticks in the shades Hedonist and Clueless which looked almost identical to the Louise Gray colours. Amazing right? And better still? They are only £7 each. 

See, Hedonist is the orange line and Clueless is the pink one! Once again, the pigment is fantastic and in the pencil form the Lip Sticks are easier to apply for a more precise finish. The only drawback is that as the Lip Sticks are intended for a matte effect they don't have the same kind of glossiness as Louise Gray's Lips do. Having said that, we all know that this can quite easily be resolved by slicking on some lip balm underneath and dabbing on a little clear lipgloss over the top.

Now, I know what you are thinking, '£7 is still a lot babez! You'd only be saving £6 if you bought both! NOT GOOD ENOUGH." And I would be inclined to agree with you.... that is if I wasn't mad on the Louise Gray Cheek Duo in Up In The Air too...

The duo costs £12.50 which once again, I can't really justify. But just look how those colours pop in the palette! I very nearly couldn't resist... That was until I swatched a little of each colour on my hand and was horrifically disappointed with the pigmentation. 

You can hardly even see the colours! I soon realized I got a colour which was much truer to the pan when I scribbled a bit of the Lip Sticks on each finger and patted them into the apples of my cheeks. So technically, these Lip Sticks dupe for not just one product each, but two. Great success.

Needless to say, next payday I will be heading out to buy Hedonist and Clueless for £14 as opposed to buying the Louise Gray Lips and Cheek Duo for £32.50. A whopping save of £18.50 is to be made here. You. Are. Welcome.

Have you given into the temptations of Louise Gray? Do you know of any other amazingly cheap dupes for the Lips and Cheek Duo? Do you ever put lipsticks on your cheeks in place of blusher? I do it all the time, the creamy consistency is WAY better for staying power.

Love and snuggles

GabriellaSofia

x

Restaurant Review: Miyako Teppanyaki Birmingham

So last Thursday I went for my first conference with work! I had a fantastic time and learnt loads about Phones 4u and how important the recruitment process (which I'm a part of) is to the company. Because the conference was in Phones 4u's state-of-the-art purpose-built facility in Birmingham's Fort Dunlop, the company paid for transportation, accommodation, food and drink for us for the whole day, brilliant, huh?

Anyway, I wanted to write a review of the restaurant we headed to after the conference because it was just so unusual and fun that I just wanted to write a review and recommend it to everyone! 

After the conference, we had about an hour and half in which to get ready, but in spite of the fact that our hotel was LITERALLY JUST AROUND THE CORNER from the training facility, we managed somehow to get lost on the M6 for about and hour and a half. This meant that by the time we got to the hotel to get ready, everyone else was stood waiting for taxis outside ready to go. Quel desastre. 

Luckily as I wasn't driving I was able to do my makeup while we were in the car, so I literally ran up to my room, took the quickest 'hold-your-hair-and-face-out-of-the-water' shower I've ever taken, rolled on some deo, spritzed some perfume, changed my clothes and slipped into my platforms. This whole process took me just five minutes, which even I was impressed with. This is what I looked like:

*This picture was actually taken a few weeks ago, which does in fact make me an outfit repeater. However, when I went out with my colleagues I was wearing black tights and a cardigan too, and my hair was straight so it is all good.*

So, the restaurant itself was a Teppanyaki place, which is Japanese. As a huge fan of sushi, I've always been very excited about the idea of exploring Japanese food in more depth. However, having been to a very disappointing Teppanyaki three years back at Walt Disney World I wasn't too hopeful... The whole idea of Teppanyaki is that the chef comes and cooks the food on a hot plate right in front of you and since the plate is flat, there isn't much in the way of sauce because it would just be impractically running all over the place. As a saucy person, this is a bit of a turn off to me, because it usually means the food is kind of bland. 

*First up the beautiful Japanese waitress brought along a salad for each of us with the most delicious dressing on it which taste like a cross between ranch and Marie Rose*

*Our starter was made up with a battered shrimp with an orangey flavoured sauce, a California roll with what I think was chicken in it and a crispy won-ton with something beefy inside and a sweet sauce drizzled over the top*

*This is how the restaurant is set up with the tables in a kind of half-a-square shape so the chefs can put on a fab show for everyone sitting nearby*

*See the mingy-looking slimy grey things on the left hand side of the dish of raw food? They were soon to become my yumalicious fried king prawns. Nom gobble.*

*They set fire to the table right in front of you. And throw scrambled egg at you to catch in your mouth. It really is very interactive...*

*Look at the chef showing off juggling eggs and balancing them on top of each other. I liked this!*

*This is what the rice looked like as it was in the process of being made. It looked really easy in fact as the chef literally wanged some soy all over the rice, chucked in some scrambled egg and threw an onion pepper mix for good measure. And it tasted incredible.*

*My prawns in the process of cooking.*

*My plate before the chef piled on a side of beansprouts.*

For dessert we got a little scoop of coconut-flavoured ice-cream which was very small but nice to eat nonetheless. Also, the Big Boss bought us all a little cup of hot sake wine each which really tipped the balance of what is and isn't an appropriate amount of drunkness for some of the team. We all had a FANTASTIC time though and the whole Miyako Teppanyaki restaurant experience got us all right in the mood for a good boogie around some of the bars in Birmingham's Arcadian. 

In all I'm a huge fan of Miyako Teppanyaki. The waitresses were brilliant, the chefs put on a fantastic show and the food could not possibly have tasted any more amazing.

This was literally one of the best all-together days I've had in a long while. I learned loads, I got to eat delicious food, I drank a couple of cheeky beverages, I bonded with my colleagues and I had a taste of the high-life in which your company invests money in ensuring that you are as psyched about the company as they are. I really couldn't complain.

Have you ever been to a Teppanyaki restaurant? Do you know any good egg-fried rice recipes? How much do you think is too much for a nice meal out? Apparently Miyako Teppanyaki cost £20 per person for Phones 4u, but I guess it would be more expensive if you were going as a couple or with just a few friends.

Love and snuggles

GabriellaSofia

x

My USA Haul...

This is the post you've all been waiting for ladies... the USA Haul!

Now, I must warn all of you that were expecting a haul similar to that which I carried home with me last summer... This year was not as flashy. Last year, I carried an entirely separate suitcase full of new things back with me, and I must have spent no less that $2000 on shopping alone. I did this because I was working last summer so was constantly earning, plus food was so cheap last summer and I never needed to pay for fun things to do because working in Disney World they let you go into the theme parks for free. This year, I wasn't earning. Also, I found the food to be somewhat pricier in the places on my route from Los Angeles over to New York than it had been in Orlando. AND I wasn't getting many freebies in terms of activities.

*Last year's haul...*

That being said, I couldn't come home without 'investing' in a few key items for the coming season, now could I? Of course not, it would be a scandal! So here is (the majority of...) what I bought in the States...

*WOWZAS. From the left to right you will see... A red lacy dress with a deep back from Forever 21, two pairs of cheeky panties from Victoria's Secret, a yellow bodycon skirt from Forever 21, a galaxy print blouse from Forever 21, a very short peach lacy dress from Forever 21, two MORE pairs of cheeky panties from Victoria's Secret, ANOTHER bodycon skirt from Forever 21 but red this time, a sheer hot pink blouse from Forever 21 and a pleated pleather skirt from Forever 21. Three guesses what my favorite store is? Oh and in the middle of the peach dress you'll see two MAC lipsticks in Sequin and New York Apple in the Frost finish.*

So as I say, this is the majority of the stuff I picked up in the States. For once I didn't spend much in American Eagle at all really, except for on the red sweater in this photo:

And the New York T-shirt in this photo:

Here are the goodies I bought closer up...

*My uncle actually bought me the red dress which was such a lovely treat! I figured these panties were cute because they let my butt peek out at the bottom which I kind of like... The yellow skirt is a bit bright, but with the right coloured sweater it is pretty cute.*

*This peach dress caught my eye immediately because I was looking for something to wear on a hot date and I just thought it was really cute! Although it is really quite short, it is floaty enough so it doesn't look cheap or slutty or brassy. I think the colour suited my tan quite well although I'm note sure how fab it looks now I'm pale again!*

*MAC lipstick swatches... Frost finish, Sequin on the bottom, New York Apple on the top. This photo was taken with flash. Look out for my review on both these products and I'll probably using them in tutorials very soon too!*

*Now for without flash... I also bought a MAC Lipstick for my sister in Russian Red too so I will probably be robbing that from her soon for a video or two :)*

*I actually bought the galaxy print blouse because the back of my neck was SO sunburned in Los Angeles that I needed something light to cover it. I bought this blouse which kept me covered but actually caused me even more bother because the fabric was so scratchy and rough on my sore skin... Having said that, it is a really cute blouse. Very sheer and sexy. I couldn't resist buying another couple of cheeky panties, and as soon as I saw the flattering fit of the yellow bodycon I just had to have it in red too!*

*This pinky blouse (I know it looks purple in this picture, but trust me, it is pink) is totally not my style AT ALL. I just picked it up so I would have something to try this black skirt on with (which I fell in love with at first sight because it is so effing na-na-na-come-on-feels-so-good-being-bad S&M I just couldn't resist) and I immediately loved it. I haven't tried it on since though and looking at these pictures is making me a bit apprehensive as it is so not me... watch this space*

*There are a couple more items which I picked up while I was away including this Essie nail-polish in the shade Masterplan. I also bought another shade named BBF Boy Best Friend which is a very pale pink polish. I'm hooked on the Essie formulas, they just look so shiny and smooth, I can't stop looking at them and stroking them. Full review soon to come!*

Apart from everything in these pictures, I also picked up a couple of bits of jewelry and a pair of black booties from (you've guessed it) Forever 21! I'm sure you'll see them tons this season as I swear I'm going to wear them every day through Autumn/Winter. 

So what do you think? Are you gutted I didn't buy as much as last summer? What is your favourite part of my haul? Have you tried Essie polishes yet? Don't you JUST LOVE the MAC Frost Finishes?

Love and snuggles

GabriellaSofia

x

City Review: San Antonio

I've always wanted to go to Texas. I'm not quite sure why. I think it is something about that Texas accent twang, or the chequered shirts and cowboy hats, or the banjo music... No matter what it is, all I know is I've always wanted to go and now I've been to San Antonio, I'm quite sure I want to go again... SOON.

The drive to San Antonio was oh-so-long. Literally, me and my two pals Cara and Caroline were sat cramped on the back row of the mini-van, sweating like pigs because the air-conditioning didn't blow that far. We whiled away the time taking naps all snuggled up together, flashing USA truck-drivers so they honked their horns at us and pulling stupid faces, laughing deliriously about the stupidest things. In all it was a fantastic journey.

As we pulled into the campsite, Cara and I were mesmerized by the beautiful river, and whilst everyone else sat behaving themselves in the van, waiting for our tour guide to check in, Cara and I made a break for it, climbing madly over everyone and escaping. In seconds we had jumped fully clothed into the cool clear water. It was so heavenly that the others soon joined us!

In fact, although the San Antonio campsite didn't have private showers (as in, she showers were stalls outside with NO DOORS on them. I mean, I'm not particularly coy about my body, but even I can't get fully naked and take a shower in front of complete strangers...) it was actually my favorite. This is mostly because of the river, but also because there wasn't as many bugs as there had been at previous campsites, the ground was soft and flat and there were picnic tables and good camp-cooking facilities. Plus, the toilets were nice and clean and there was enough plugs for us all to charge our phones at the same time. Wow, you don't realize how much you value the little things in life until you spend six weeks on budget campsites... 

We didn't have much time to get ready for our night out, but this was all part of the fun really... We'd heard that we were going someplace fun and 'Texasy' so I slipped into my black bodycon skirt and robbed a chequered shirt from our tour guide. I thought it was very 'sexy cowgirl' once I'd put my brown wedges on. We grabbed some of our cheeky beverages (and poured them into Coca-Cola cans so our tour guide wouldn't have a nervous breakdown about the fact that we were drinking in his van, which is apparently a BIG deal in the States) and hopped into the van, unaware of where we were headed. I was headed to the best night out of my trip, that's where!

The Cowboys Dancehall is THE PLACE TO BE. Without a doubt. The place is HUGE like a real genuine ball room. I've never seen anything like it! There was a big huge stage, a massive dancefloor, various bars AND a bucking bronco. Yes, you heard me. A bucking bronco. Since it was 'military night' I managed to persuade a young US soldier to invest in me (which sounds MUCH worse than it is...) by making him pay the whole $5 which it cost for me to have a go on the bronco. Sadly (for him, as it was his money...) I fell off in less than five seconds. Sick. 

I found a really lovely cowboy on the side of the dancefloor too... he ended up being from Australia (but in my defence, he did have a chequered shirt on!) Spent some good times dancing with him, but sadly lost his number which he had written on a napkin :( So if anyone out there knows Sam Young from Brisbane then tell him I never meant not to call him, promise. 

The next day, the majority of the group were feeling a bit worse for wear, and as it turns out, traipsing round a red hot city in the baking sun when feeling exhausted from the night before doesn't make for a great time. In fact, what it does make for, is falling asleep in the grass in front of the Alamo and waking up covered in ant bites. So I've heard.

*Stood in front of the Alamo in my new red sweater*

San Antonio by day had a really nice yet very distinctive touristy-vibe. There was a Ripley's Believe It Or Not museum, a Madame Tussauds, a SeaWorld, a sightseeing bus tour and all the rest. I had a picture in front of the Alamo, but shamefully didn't go inside and (even more shamefully) still to this day have NO IDEA what the Alamo actually is. I think it is something to do with a war or battle, as there was a bunch of soldiers around on their day off. However, I don't know what it is. Anyone who cares to educate me, please feel free.

I started to get heatstroke towards the end of the day in San Antonio. It was just too hot and I was run down from getting next to no sleep the night before, I hadn't drank enough water and my head was spinning. We went searching for a restaurant along the river with good air conditioning, but we walked in and out of so many places and I literally felt like I would faint. Finally, we chose a restaurant called Dick's Last Resort. What is the selling point of this restaurant, I hear you ask? Well, let me tell you. At Dick's Last Resort, you can eat mediocre food which is over priced AND get insulted throughout your meal by the staff. When I say insulted, I mean it. They are all 'actors' and they literally will scream in your face that you are a 'Miserable b*tch'. Of course, they don't care that you have tears streaming down your face because the horrible greeter made you throw your water bottle away when you are dying of head exhaustion. Theoretically, this place is a good laugh. In practice, the waiters and waitresses aren't just having banter with you, they are genuinely horrible people who have found a job where they can get away with being themselves at work.

Actually, that rant is totally unfair. Our actual waiter was very nice. And there was another waiter who asked if I was ok as my eyes rolled into the back of my head. However, the greeter was evil and the barman argued with me for ten minutes stating, "Get your own glass of f**king water, Princess." I'm sure that if I'd been in good health I wouldn't have minded this as much, but being so ill (and hence a tad homesick) I just felt like I wanted to burst into tears!

Before I knew it, our time in San Antonio was over and I was ever so sad, purely because the weather was so brilliant and I'd wanted to stay in the Cowboys Dancehall all night. Plus, I bought a nice red sweater in the American Eagle in their shopping mall (which was fantastic by the way) so that mini bit of retail therapy put me in a right good mood :)

Have you ever wanted to go to Texas? Have you ever been out on such a different sort of night out and had such a good time? Would you have gotten your boot-skootin'-groove on?

Love and snuggles

GabriellaSofia x

OOTD: Nerd-Girl Office-Girl...

Hello there strangers!

It really feels like I haven't blogged in an absolute age. I think it has been a week since my last post or something like that... Naughty aren't I? But you have to let me off, because it is all due to the fact that I have now entered the world of work. That's right, I, GabriellaSofia, am now an official grown-up, who pays taxes, and works 9am-6pm and wears many pencil skirts and peep-toe shoesies. And you know what? I'm loving it!

So, what does a Recruitment Consultant at the Phones 4u Head Offices wear to work? Well, now you're asking... On my first day, I wore the same little outfit I wore to my job interview because I figured, 'Hey, if it made a good impression on that day, it will now too!' This was the dress:

As I started on a Thursday, and Friday is own-clothes day (I wore my black bodycon skirt, grey tights, black booties and slouchy Topshop jumper also in gray) I didn't have to panic about what else to wear until the Monday morning. I had the whole weekend to plan. Of course Monday morning rocked around and I was zombifiedly exhausted as I was getting ready and hadn't really planned what to wear. Plus, my hair looked terrible so I had to put it into a bun and my eyes were bothering me so I couldn't put my contacts in, meaning I looked like this:

Geek-chic could we call it? Nerd-girl office-girl more like. I'm spec-sy and I know it. Nonetheless, I liked this outfit because the navy dress (Dorothy Perkins, a steal at only £22) is made of a soft cotton-like material and I was able to accessorize adequately being all matchy-matchy with my colours. Grey glasses, cardi, tights and Nine West peep-toes were off-setted by my brown belt and brown hoop necklace whilst my earrings were almost the exact same colour as my dress. Considering the outfit was a bit out there personality-wise, I think it did the trick, looking smart but being comfortable and having a real GabriellaSofia injection of fun thrown into the mix too... 

What do you think about this outfit? Would you wear such a stand-out look in your first few days of working for a new company? What would you wear in an office environment whilst also trying to incorporate your own personal style?

Let me know...

Love and snuggles

GabriellaSofia

x

Review: benefit Triple Performing Facial Emulsion...

I have been hunting for new products to add to my clearly WRONG skincare routine recently, so I was very excited when I received this little benefit sample in the post. I have always loved benefit cosmetics with a fiery passion, but this was the first time I ever tried one of their skincare products...

I love the word 'Emulsion'. I don't know why, it just sounds really gooey and cool. Anyway, the benefit Triple Performing Facial Emulsion is an oil-free formula (which I expected to be fab on me as I get unsightly breakouts occasionally) which hydrates, protects and comforts the skin whilst also offering an SPF of 15. 

I found the formula to be very thin when I squirted a little out on my hand. It almost ran straight off! When I applied it to my face, I soon realized that a little goes a very long way with this product. I found it to be very lightweight while it was on. However, I found throughout the day that my skin looked really quite greasy and my battle throughout the day to keep my face looking matte worked only to make the layer-upon-layer of powder foundation I had applied appear cakey and gross. 

On the other hand, I used this product before bed one night and found that it worked perfectly as a hydrating overnight mask as I woke up in the morning with the smoothest skin ever. Of course I had to cleanse the residue from my face in the morning, but what was left beneath was the loveliest butter soft skin that I think I've ever experienced! I have only just run out of this product after about a week and a half of using it (which just goes to show how your £19.50 stretches in the value for money) and as soon as I get paid I am investing in this as an overnight face cream. That said, I would not advise using this as a daytime cream in spite of the fact that the SPF properties are no use at night, I just don't think it is worth it considering the amount of powder I used that day... However, everyone's skin is different, so maybe try popping into benefit and asking for a sample to see how you get on?

Have you tried any of the benefit skincare line yet? Do you know of any cheaper alternatives to benefit's Facial Emulsion? What do you think about benefit branching into skincare?

Love and kisses

GabriellaSofia

x

Oh I Do Like to Be Beside The Seaside...

As a girl that is absolutely MAD about the UK seaside, imagine my excitement when I found that my grandparents had invested in a caravan in North Wales! I was so excited to get my family away on a stay-cation that just a week after I arrived back from my USA adventure we loaded up the car and headed away for the weekend.

The caravan itself is located in Towyn. Towyn is only about a 15 minute drive from the nearest beach and there are a handful of small seaside towns within a 30 minute drive also, so every day can be different! On our first night, we headed to Rhyl.

Rhyl isn't the NICEST seaside town in Wales by a long stretch. The town is in desperate need of some TLC and a finance injection. However, the beach itself is beautiful. The sand is clean and the water is surprisingly clear for the UK. Naturally, the water was icy cold, but that didn't stop me from paddling in it for ages :)

It was really a lovely evening as the skies were blue and it wasn't too cold or windy. Having said that, I needed to clutch tight onto my hat to keep it from falling into the water and being lost for ever...

The following day we headed into one of my favourite seaside towns in North Wales, Llandudno. Although the town offers a nice retail park complete with Outfit (Topshop, Dorothy Perkins, Miss Selfridge etc), River Island and New Look, this town is also full of independent stores which I just love having a rummage around. There are gift and book shops galore and I managed to grab some incredible literature bargains which I'm sure to blog about soon. 

I love all of these pastel coloured hotels with sea views. We headed onto the pier to grab some fish and chips and look out over the vast blue sea. It actually made me think about the tsunami really and about how terrifying it must be to see one rushing towards you...

As we headed home on our third day we stopped off in Chester, one of my favorite UK cities for shopping in. Most stores are outdoors in Chester and they are all down little alleys and hidden in corners and up stairs. Again there are many chain stores, but quite as many independents and the city is full of cute little delicatessens. My favorite is a cheese shop which you smell from a mile off! Chester is also home to one of my number one vintage stores named, Lily's Vintage. I love it here because the owner is always around to tell you stories about the clothes you are looking at and the prices are often very fair.

My family and I decided to grab some lunch in Carluccio's. I chose a spicy prawn pasta which was absolutely delicious. For once I was satisfied enough by my main to not even need dessert and the atmosphere in the restaurant was so friendly that we stayed sitting, finishing our drinks for half an hour after eating.

Have you ever been on a stay-cation in North Wales? Do you still go on holidays with your parents since your childhood? What are your favorite UK cities?

Love and kisses

GabriellaSofia

x

My University Experience...

I decided I might record this video so that I could share my university experience with you all. University is a very expensive and time consuming investment to make in ourselves, and is a decision which should be thought out very carefully. University is not for everyone and although there is a lot of pressure from teachers and parents and society to go and get a degree, I think that many more people will be reconsidering their motives for applying since the raise in fees last year. I had a very bumpy university experience, and although I happy that I went in hindsight, during some stages of the experience I genuinely regretted choosing English Literature or even staying in education. So many careers would be better achieved through getting work experience rather than attending university, so I just entreat each of you who are considering applying to not rush into anything, think things through in detail and follow your hearts.

Are any of you applying for university just because you think you should? What careers do you all want to get involved in? Tell me your university stories...

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Love
gabriellasofia x